“Who Is the US Helping in Honduras?”: The Fix

The Obama administration has expanded its anti-drug trafficking partnership with Honduras in recent years—but some claim that the US is inadvertently helping a corrupt government that actually has ties to the drug trade. The Associated Presshas called the growing US military presence throughout the region “the most expensive initiative in Latin America since the Cold War.” Since 2002, the buildup has reportedly cost US taxpayers over $20 billion for troops, ships, clandestine bases, radar, military and police training and more, and 2012 Defense Department contracts for Honduras stood at $67.4 million—triple those of 10 years ago. But despite the intentions behind these expensive efforts, the government and the elites controlling Honduras are widely accused of being implicated in trafficking.